From squatting to eating prunes and even guzzling OLIVE OIL: Poll reveals bizarre DIY constipation remedies Brits are using

It is a common problem that affects around one in six Brits at any one time.

But a tenth of adults have resorted to an unusual method to relieve their constipation: drinking olive oil.

This is evident from a survey of 2,000 adults in Great Britain, in which people were asked about their toilet habits.

Studies suggest that daily consumption of olive oil relieves constipation. Experts believe that the fats it contains help move stool through the digestive system.

Other remedies people admitted to include eating prunes (22.2 percent), jumping up and down (13.1 percent) and doing squats (8.6 percent), according to a poll by laxative brand DulcoLax.

The NHS estimates that around 9.5 million adults in Britain suffer from constipation at any time.

Overall, more than half of people aged 18 to 54 are constipated or have had it in the past six months, the survey found.

When it comes to finding relief, some of the most popular remedies include drinking water (65 percent), taking laxatives (33 percent) and drinking coffee (24 percent).

All three things have been proven to help.

Others include eating dried fruit (19.1 percent), taking a hot bath (15.9 percent), eating only fruit (15.6 percent), lying on the stomach (9.3 percent), and fasting (6.3 percent).

One of the most bizarre ways to relieve constipation is to drink olive oil; 5.66 percent of respondents admit to drinking it

A 2014 study published in the Journal of Kidney NutritionResearch showed that 4 ml of olive oil per day was sufficient to relieve constipation symptoms.

Despite almost all respondents admitting to struggling with constipation, one in seven said shame prevented them from seeking help.

More than half (48 percent) even admitted to feeling too embarrassed to buy laxatives without a prescription.

The research also found that most Brits poop at least once a day and some spend more than an hour on the toilet when constipated.

If you haven’t pooped at least three times in the past week, you’re probably constipated, the NHS says.

Other signs include straining when you go to the toilet or poop that is dry, hard or lumpy.

According to the NHS, it’s not getting enough fiber in your diet, not drinking enough and not being active or exercising enough.

It can also be a side effect of medications or caused by stress, anxiety or depression.

The NHS suggests that making changes to your diet can make your poop ‘softer and easier to pass’, while being more active and helping with regularity.

Eating a balanced diet of fruits that contain sorbitol, such as apples, grapes, apricots, raspberries and strawberries, drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol can also help, it says.

Additionally, eating more fiber-rich foods such as wheat bran, oats or flax seeds can relieve constipation, the health department says.